A 31-year-old El Socorro contractor was murdered on Saturday night as he attempted to protect his girlfriend and one of his employees from two armed men. The victim, Shannol Mahabir, of Mohammed Trace, El Socorro, and his employee Mukesh Ramcharitar, were liming at his girlfriend's bar around 8 pm.
Ramcharitar told police that shortly before 9 pm, two strange men entered the bar, bought a round of drinks and left. Mahabir and Ramcharitar became suspicious when the duo returned ten minutes later. One of the suspects entered the bar while the other waited outside.
When Mahabir heard his girlfriend scream for help, he rushed to her assistance. As Mahabir struggled with the man inside the bar Ramcharitar said the other suspect drew a firearm from his waist. Ramcharitar attempted to disarm the man but the gunman then pointed the weapon at Ramcharitar and threatened to kill him.
Man killed during El Socorro bar robbery
Eyewitnesses said Mahabir rushed to his employee's assistance and was fatally shot. The bullet ricocheted hitting Ramcharitar in the face. The two suspects then ran away empty-handed. Officers from the North Eastern Division Task Force led by Sgt Roger Alexander and Cpl Sunil Bharath arrived at the scene less than five minutes after the shooting and took the injured men to the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex in Mt Hope.
Mahabir was pronounced dead on arrival, while Ramcharitar was treated and discharged yesterday morning. Eyewitnesses were able to provide detailed descriptions of the attackers and investigators said yesterday afternoon that arrests would be imminent. In a interview at Mahabir's home, his cousin Sunil Samaad said: "This was a senseless killing. Shannol was everybody life. We can't get over this."
Samaad said that his cousin's heroic actions were not a surprise to his family or friends as he would always come to the assistance of those he knew were in need. "He would always do anything for the people he cared about," Samaad said. "This whole street in mourning right now. Everybody feeling it," an elderly neighbour shouted from her yard.
The murder toll stood at 328 up to late yesterday. ASP Mahabir, PCs Trevor Rambaran, Clint Dass and Jerome Gordon are investigating Mahabir's murder.